Strip feed units are widely used in the packaging industry, and are normally installed on and for feeding strips of packaging material to automatic machines. A strip feed unit normally comprises two pins, each for supporting a respective reel of strip material; and a splicing device for joining the strips on the reels, as the strip on one reel is about to run out, and so ensuring continuous supply of the packaging material. In other words, as a first strip is unwound off one of the two reels, the end of the strip on the other reel is detached from the reel, and a portion of the strip is positioned at the splicing device to join the two strips.
In one known type of strip feed unit, the operator detaches the end of the strip on the new reel and positions a portion of the strip at the splicing device, so that the operator not only runs the risk of injury by working on an automatic machine while it is running, but is also called upon to monitor the reels continuously to prevent any distraction resulting in stoppage of the machine.
To eliminate the above drawbacks, another type of strip feed unit has been proposed in which the operator is replaced by an automatic transfer device for picking up and transferring the end of the strip on the reel to the strip splicing device.
Though successful in eliminating safety hazards and continuous monitoring by the operator, strip feed units of the above type are so complex as to be unsuitable for actual installation on automatic machines.